Just returned from the Gym. I usually remove my Seamaster or Daytona, prior to entering the sauna or steam room. I have always thought the lubricants and oil will get too hot inside the watch. Today i met a gentleman, wearing his steel / gold submariner in both the steam and sauna for over 50mins. Apparently he has been doing this for the past 5 years without any problems with his watch.
I was wondering about anyone else's thoughts?
It's completely fine. Keep it rinsed and keep the pressure testing current, and you'll have no worries. This is the subject of endless "what-if" hand-wringing and broscience, but the watch and its seals can survive much more extreme conditions than you can. It's not worth stressing about.
I wore my old trusty Seamaster for years in and out of saunas/steam rooms/pools and never had any problems. When I got it serviced (somewhat late!) there was no sign of any problems
Wear your watch and enjoy.
Just imagine how hot watches get in the sun.
Even when worn on the wrist, thus cooled on the back almost 50 degrees C. is not extreme.
I have deliberately made my SDGA going into fault mode >50 degrees under the andalucian summer sun while on the wrist to see whether this would happen. It does.
It obviously applies to any watch only those do not say so.
So; donīt worry.
"Gee, fellas, what about all that harsh steam and those high temperatures?"
"I knew a guy who wore his (unserviced) watch in the sauna and it leaked."
"What about expansion?"
"My local jeweler told me it was a bad idea."
LysanderXIII has previously written as good of an answer as I've seen to these "duh, what-about?" things; I hope he doesn't mind if I quote his words:
Even the cheapest silicone rubber gaskets are good to 200 to 250 F at 100% humidity, indefinitely, maybe as much as 300 to 350 F for short durations. If you can stand it, the seals can as well.
Expansion and contraction!?
Then explain how the same type of rubber is used in aircraft engine bleed systems that see several 100 to 200 F (82 to 182 C) cycles per hour and are designed to last 3000 to 5000 hours.
There is much more to the Challenger mishap that just o-rings heating up. The o-rings used in the solid rocket booster (SRB) are made from a special fluoroelastomer (FKM), designed for use in extremely high temperatures (and by high temperature, we mean continous operation in 400 F, or 205 C) or in highly active chemical applications. One of the trade offs for use in extremely high temperature environments is poor performance (loss of elasticity) at low temperature. The compound used in the SRB had a glass transition temperature (where the rubber becomes bittle) of around + 40 F (+ 4 C).
Your average watch gasket is made from silicone rubber, Buna-S or Viton-B (also a FKM elastomer) has a glass transition temperature of around -60 F (- 51 C). Don't worry about your o-rings failing due to temperature.
hanging about in saunas and steam rooms I would be more worried about the wellbeing of a different ring...
LOLOriginally Posted by Josh B
Hi
I would personally not risk it but thats just me
Yes, splitting your O ring in a Sauna is probably best avoided - nasty business I imagine. Can't find the right smiley face but it would have crossed eyes!
Thanks for the advice
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Thanks for the adviceI wore my old trusty Seamaster for years in and out of saunas/steam rooms/pools and never had any problems. When I got it serviced (somewhat late!) there was no sign of any problems
Wear your watch and enjoy.
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Thanks for the advice
The only watches I am careful with are those with leather straps as I don't like getting the leather wet. Anything else is ok in water but, as said above, when working on motors or building materials it's the potential of scratching that causes me to remove my watch.
A very interesting set of posts, which has lead me to think I am too soft on my watches!
Tonight I will be wearing my watch in the sauna
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